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R. R. MABIE.

SUPPORT FOR SHINGLES.

APPLICATION man APR. 10. I918.

1,345,683 Patented July 6, 11920.

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1E A A) 4 E: 1 3 /Z T (2 i Q I INVENTOR firm/ 1 jm fmw ATTORNEY UNH'EQ STAEES PAESNE @FEHQE.

RALPH n. MAIBIE, on NEW YORK, 1v. Y.

SUPPORT FOR SHINGLES.

Application filed. April 10,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH R. MARIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at 4260 Broadway, New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Shingles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in a device for holding and supporting shingles which are made of material that has a tendency to sag, or curl up at the corners or edges.

One object of my invention is to provide suitable means whereby shingles made of felt, asphalt or similar soft or flexible materials or such materials as become soft from exposure to the heat of the sun, or the ele ments, may be laid over purlins la1d apart or with open spaces between them, similar to the wooden construction commonly used with wood shingles, without danger of these flexible shingles sagging into the open spaces between the purlins.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guide to space shingles at uniform distances apart so that the joints may be broken uniformly throughout the roof and its appearance and waterproof qualltles thereby improved.

Another object of my inventlon is to provide a guide or stop for each shingle in each succeeding course so that without strlkmg' any chalk lines each course may be lald even and true with such part of each shingle as is desired, exposed to the weather.

Another object of my invention 1s to provide suitable clips or fastening devices for holding down the exposed ends of soft or flexible shingles so that the wind cannot 11ft them and so that the corners and the edges cannot be curled up by the action of the weather.

Another object of my invention is to provide suitable means whereby shingles of uniform size may be laid with different degrees of exposure to the weather, as for instance l, 5 or 6 inches to the weather, so that by giving a greater exposure fewer shingles may be used to cover a given surface, and thereby reduce the cost of both labor and material re uired in laying the roof.

nother object of my inventlon is to produce a device which will accomplish all the purposes mentioned above but which Wlll be Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920. 1918. Serial No. 227,830.

under the heat of the sun will bend easily and sag unless supported and when in this condition are easily lifted by the wind and the corners are often curled by the sun. Such shingles are commonly made of uniform sizes usually 8 inches wide and 12% inches long.

In order to prevent sagging it has been found necessary to provide a solid surface of sheathing on to which these shingles are nailed and in order to prevent their being lifted by the wind it has not been found practical to lay them with more than four inches exposed to the weather. With my device a double support is provided throughout the length of each shingle so that it is not necessary to provide solid sheathing for the support of the roofing but they may be laid over spaced boarding, commonly called purlins, the same as with wood shingles and thereby effect a saving in lumber and labor.

In laying such shingles it has been the custom to separate the shingles about 5; inch from each other for the purpose of providing room for contraction and expansion and to form perpendicular shadow lines which give texture to the roof and improve its appearance.

By the old method of laying these shingles in most cases the workman has spaced by his eye so that the lines were more or less irregular anduneven.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a group of these devices showing their relation one to another and the lines along which they may be cutfrom a flat sheet of metal;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the completed device;

Fig. 3 is a view illustrating the device applied to two shingles partly broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a view on a smaller scale, partly broken away, showing a roof illustrating the use of the device thereon.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the device illustrated in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1 the reference character S refers to a sheet of suitable material, such as metal, which may be cut or stamped along the marked lines L to produce the device as shown in Fig. 2 after the parts have been bent, as will be described. L represent the way the devices are to be separated from one another in sheet S. Slits 2 are made in the sheet S so that the portions may be bent to provide combined clips and spacers 3 as shown in Fig. 2. A ll-shaped portion a is left on each device as it is cut from the sheet in order that the samemay be bent to form a combined guide and clip as will be more fully described hereinafter. Slits'5 will be made in sheet'S for the purpose of forming the two pairs of supporting members or arms 6 and 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the arms 6 having been turned backward through an angle of 180 degrees, as represented. ners may be cut off along the lines 8, Fig. 1, for the purpose of making the ends 9 of the arms 7 pointed, Fig. 2. These ends are bentupwardly' for the purpose of forming clips, 9 to hold the corners of the shingles as will presently appear. By cutting off more of the ends of the arms 7, or by bending up a greater length of material to form the clips 9, the devices may be made easily adjustable to accommodate different exposures of the shingles, without involving an undue waste of material- Ribs 10 may be provided on the arms 6 and 7 by embossing or striking out the material to a slight extent in order to render these arms stiff and rigid.

The spacers 3, 3 in my device provide positive stops against which the shingles 11 may be quickly placed as shown in Fig. 8, in order to space them uniformly. After the workman has nailed the shingles to the roof he strikes the points of the spacers 3, 3

and the ends 9, 9 down over the shingleand these hold the edge to prevent its curling. The arms 6 and 7, being relatively stiff, will prevent the shingles from sagging in the spaces between the purlins 12.

In laying shingles such as those described above it has been found necessary to snap chalk lines as a guide for the laying of each succeeding course to the end that the work maybe uniform and the proper part of each shingle exposed. By the use of my device this is unnecessary, for each shingle in a succeeding course is placed in contact with the corresponding guide 4 and nailed in place. The point of the guide 4 is then struck down over the end of the shingle thereby holding it firmly down in the mid- The heavy lines If desired, the cordle portion. The labor of striking chalk lines is thus eliminated and uniform exposure secured.

Flexible shingles have been found to curl 1n the sun, especially 1n very warm countr1es and if laid with more than a four inch exposure the; wind lifts them and breaks them off.

When thepoint of the guide 4: and the sim'ilar'points 9, 9 on the'lower ends of the eventually supporting members 7 are bent down over the end of each shingle, itg'is firmly held in place so that the sun cannot curl it or the 7 wind lift it.

It, therefore, becomes possible to lay the shingles with 5 or 6- inches exposure to the weather instead of 4 inches as has been about the limit heretoforei' By varying the length of the'lower supporting members or arms 7 in my device any desired exposure may be secured and thereby a very great saving in both material and labor effected. By making the device; ac-

cording to the outline shown in Fig. l-there is practically no. waste of'material and the simple folding back oft'he' arms 6 provides the necessary form for a complete support. I

It will be noted that by the use "of my device each shingle is fastened at its sides and lower corners to the adjoining shingle in either side in the same course and'in the inconspicuous and consequently do not detract from the appearance of the finished roof.

The device is also valuable as a stiffener for shingles laid on the sides of houses'as it prevents their ends being'lifted by persons who might pull them out and it holds them down evenly and closely which was 'not the case when such shingles were simply nailed on. p

It is obvious that the V-sh'aped portion 4 may be made larger thus avoiding the necessity of cutting along the line 8, Fig. 1. In

away on both edges to form the point in the center as heretofore described the ends will be cut biased thus shaping them so that the point comes in line with oneedge of the arm 7 The ends of-any or ,of'all the points 3, 4: and. 9 may be bent downwardly so as to make them enter the shingles thus holding seen that with my device this case, instead of havingthe arms 7' cut the same more firmly. The devices will preferably be dipped with anti-rust composition to prolong their life, or a material of rust resisting qualities will be used out of Which to form them.

Having thus described my invention and its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a member having upstanding projections near the middle of said device, said projections being spaced apart whereby shingles may be spaced at uniform distances apart.

2. A device for supporting a flexible shingle having means to prevent the shingle from sagging when laid over spaced purlins, and means for attaching it to two adjoining shingles in the same course and to a shingle in a succeeding course.

3. In a device of the class described, means for supporting the upper portion of flexible shingles, said device being provided with arms having clips thereon to engage the shingles and prevent their exposed corners from being lifted.

4:. As an article of manufacture, a device for supporting flexible shingles, said device &

being provided near its center with a guide for locating a shingle in a succeeding course.

5. As an article of manufacture, a device for supporting flexible shingles, said device being provided with spacers and a guide near the center thereof.

6. In a shingle support in combination, supporting arms, upstanding portions forming spacers, a guide, and clips whereby said device may be attached to flexible shingles.

7. As an article of manufacture, a device having spacers near the center thereof, said spacers being such that they may engage and hold adjacent shingles in place, said device having arms provided with clips adapted to engage the corners of shingles.

8. In a device of the class described, in combination, spacing means on said device, a guide for shingles, and clips on said device for fastening shingles.

9. In a device of the class described, an upstanding projection near the center thereof for locating a shingle in one course, said device having means for attaching it to shingles in a preceding course.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RALPH R. MABIE. 

